Families flock to LLW for gingerbread building event

IRONWOOD - The line was out the cafeteria door Saturday at Luther L. Wright K-12 School Saturday for the annual gingerbread house building workshop, and the rush didn't really slow down until the event ended two hours later.

"It got really busy yesterday and it never really stopped," kindergarten teacher Niki McRae, a member of the district's events committee that organized the workshop. "We've always had a really good turnout."

McRae said it was easily over 100 kids who built houses, with the people lined up to participate before the event began at 10 a.m.

"I remember looking at the clock and it said 10:18, the line was all the way from the front of the lunch room, it went out the door and people were standing by the water fountain in the hall," McRae said, adding she counted at least 75 people - probably 45 of them being kids. "By quarter after 11, that line was still out the door."

She said she was pleased with how the event went, and said the organizers continue to learn and improve the event each of the three years they've held it.

The early rush was at least partly due by people wanting get the best supplies, according to McRae.

"We were pretty packed for a while" she said. "Everybody comes right away because they know the good stuff is out first - the good candy, the bright candy, the swirly suckers and all that kind of stuff."

Some of the creations will be set up at River Valley Bank as part of the annual gingerbread house contest during the Jack Frost Festival.

"We'll have the winners listed in the bank windows and they'll be there for everybody to look at," McRae said.

McRae said the contest, which is not limited to houses built at Saturday's workshop, will once again feature seven categories: ages 5 and under, ages 6 to 8, ages 9 to 12, 13-18, group entries, family entries and an adult category.

Events committee members will be at the bank from 3 to 5 p.m. today and Tuesday to help people put their entries in the right spots and fill out the forms.

Gingerbread house entries may also be brought to the bank during business hours through Nov. 30 at 4 p.m.

McRae thanked the teachers and support staff who volunteered to help with the event.

"It is a lot of work, so I appreciate that they come and do that," she said. "It's just an extra thing, but we always look for things as the events committee that are fun for families to do and for the kids in our community to do and get them out and about."

McRae also thanked the community members and local businesses that helped make the event possible.